Whooping cough vaccine agreement signed by ILiAD

Privately held US biotech company ILiAD Biotechnologies has signed scientific collaboration and worldwide license agreements for live attenuated Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine technology with leading French organizations. Financial details of these agreements remain confidential.

ILiAD, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) subsidiary, Inserm Transfert SA, and Institut Pasteur de Lille (IPL) signed the agreement with the company for the vaccine technology, including BPZE1. This license agreement covers patent rights from IPL, Inserm, National University of Singapore and National University of Ireland Maynooth. It follows the publication in the journal PLOS One which suggests that BPZE1 is safe in healthy adults and can induce immune responses targeting Bordetella pertussis. ILiAD, Inserm and IPL intend to optimize and advance the BPZE technology in preparation for future clinical studies.

Deal could have a ‘major impact’ on disease